Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust
by Machina Super Monstrum
Summary: 45 years post show, Yang and some of the remnants of Team RWBY and JNPR tell the story of the Great Grimm War to the students of Beacon so that it and its sacrifices may never be forgotten.
1. In the beginning

***A/N: My next story begins here, it will have a mixture of flashbacks and current events which I will break with a single line to show start and double line to show end. I have many more chapters planned and I hope it will be to everyone's liking.***

The students of Beacon Academy have been gathered together in the auditorium for special presentation, all other classes having been called for this particular event. The students file in and taking the prepared seats in front of the large stage, a single microphone set up in front of a comfortable looking chair.

A hush falls over the gabbing students as the teachers and advisers stand the assembled mass up for the guest that is slowly making her way up the dark side passage to the prepared area. A young professor moves to help her but she shrugs him off, standing straighter for it and walking with more purpose to her step. As she enters the lights beaming down on center stage, her appearance becomes clearer.

A well-aged woman stands before them, hair faded from time, once a brilliant yellow blonde, now a white-gray with only a hint of its previous vibrancy, a worn brown leather coat, showing many a repair, over a faded yellow blouse hung loosely around her thin but still toned frame. Her eyes are closed as she stares at the floor, hands clasped in front of her, a tarnished yellow metal greaves around each wrist.

One could hear a pin drop as she finally looks up, opening her eyes, only one stunningly bright lilac orb looking out as the other is nothing but an empty socket surrounded by scar tissue. The silence is broken by a single sentence, a confidence to it but at the same time an immense tiredness, "My name is Yang Xiao Long and I fought in the Great Grimm War…."

She settles down into the comfortable looking chair and lowers the mic to her seated level. "Everyone sit down and get as comfortable as you can, this is a long story." The students are all seated and staring expectantly at her. "Let me start by saying that what I'm about to tell all of you is horrific, terrifying….and exactly why we Huntresses and Hunters exist. We exist to fight off the Grimm so that everyone else can live their lives happily and secure. We fight knowing the costs we may have to pay, including our own lives." She sighs, long and tired. "I lost so much over the years of that war, my eye." A single gloved hand rises to touch the scar tissue covered socket. "So many friends, a lover, and even my baby sister…" Tears well at the edge of her good eye before she blinks them back with a sad shake of her head, "But it is something that had to be done to protect the kingdoms and what we humans and faunus have made for ourselves." She looks down at the barren wooden stage and says, barely above a whisper but picked up by the microphone, "I just pray that it is something that we never have to do again." A single tear finally looses itself from her eye and drops to the floor with a barely audible blip.

She raises her head back, held high as the strength of her voice return, her one good eye scanning the audience. "It all truly started in our first year at Beacon, my baby sister, Ruby," Her voice cracks a little before she pulls herself back, "She had been able to jump two years for exemplary combat prowess and our team was formed through initiation as anyone else, becoming Team R.W.B.Y with Ruby as the leader, myself, Weiss Schnee, and Blake Belladonna. We had another team we became close to, Team J.N.P.R lead by Jaune Arc," Her voice hitches again and she takes a deep breath before continuing. "Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, and Lie Ren. They were a good group and our two teams would often intermingle." She looks over to the side of the stage, making a small motion with her hand. "Could one of you get me a glass of water, I'll be talking for quite some time and I know I'll need it."

A quick scrambling off stage and a young looking blonde boy, couldn't be more than 16 stumbles out with a few bottles in hand. Dropping the bottles off, he attempts to backpedal out of the light, but a firm grip on his wrist stops him. "Wait…" He turns and Yang's good eye sparkles as she looks him up and down, "You look just like him…." Her eye brims with barely held tears before she slumps and her grip loosens. She sighs and shoos him away. "Go…."

The aged brawler sags into the worn chair and casts her eye over the audience, "Now then, our first hint of trouble was actually before the year had even started, the exemplary combat my sister had shown was her stopping a robbery at a dust shop. She stopped the robbery but the robber got away, but they weren't normal thugs or criminals. They were wanted criminals for higher crimes, Roman Torchwick and a bitch named Cinder Falls." Her fist clenches at the name before she spits to the side and continues with a stuttered breath. "But even they were just pawns in the greater game….but I get ahead of myself."

"We started our school with a few interesting adventures and misadventures, well tread memories as they were some of the last happy times we had together. We had a good first semester, found out about the White Fang's involvement with Roman and Cinder but we didn't find out exactly what they were planning, learned a few things, despite Oobleck's speed and Port's tendency to ramble." A weary chuckle passes her lips. " If you'll forgive an old lady her ramblings, there is one memory that I hold very dear." She leans back into the comfy leather chair, a smile spreading across her lips.

"It was the beginning of our second semester….." She leans forward and begins motioning with her hands as she speaks.

* * *

><p>I was having a back and forth with Nora in the cafeteria, chunking food all around while Weiss and Blake chatted about something. Suddenly Weiss stood up and a pie veered off course and slammed her right in the face, as Nora pointed the finger at poor Ren, I knew this was gunna be quite a day….<p>

The food fight broke out in earnest as everyone started getting involved, hunking pastries and drinks and even Jaune at one point, then, without warning, the entire cafeteria cleared out in a rush, leaving just us and JNPR atop their hastily constructed tower of tables and vending machines. All the while, Nora is calling out, 'I'm queen of the castle.'

Ruby gave a rousing speech as before we rushed forward, raring for a fight….Watermelons flew everywhere like a hail of mortar fire, but my little sister didn't even flinch as she brought me to the frontline, calling orders. I slid my hands into a few turkeys nearby to make replacements for Ember Celica and went straight at those damned watermelons, slamming them apart with my fists of poultry as Blake came to my side with these two big baguettes. I slung the turkeys at Pyrrha first, trying to take out JNPR's experienced fighter first but she flipped out of the way and I just knocked poor Jaune clear across the room.

Ruby and Wiess started really getting into it after I got knocked out for a bit from baguette spears tossed by Pyrrha, til Weiss got taken out of commission by Nora wielding a watermelon warhammer. She actually hit hard enough to blow Weiss into a pillar and bring it down.

Regaining my senses though, I leaped back into the fray, grabbing a new set of poultry pounders and getting into a melee with Ren and his leeks. Poor boy shoulda known better than to get into it like that with the Blonde Brawler. Took him down with quite the stunning aerial slam into the ground, left a crater and everything.

And finally, I got into it with the one who started it all, Nora, after jumping back from a slam with her melon hammer. It was like something from a movie as we rushed towards each other and I launched that orange haired demon through the room with a swift uppercut…..

* * *

><p>A light, airy giggle echoes through the auditorium before a chipper but worn voice follows it. "That's not quite how I remember it Yang…."<p>

The brawler's eye widens as a greater smile overtakes her face and she looks to the back of the room, where the voice came from, "Nora, you old bitch…" All eyes turn to the short, dull red headed woman and the salt and pepper haired man beside her. "It's good to see you two, get on up here."

The couple makes their way slowly to the stage, slowed due to Nora's right leg dragging limply on the ground. Two new chairs are brought out for them as Yang stands and embraces her old friends. "Come, sit and tell me how 'you' remember the story going then."

Nora's smile widens and even Ren's neutral face is broken by a soft smirk, the two taking the provided seats. "Well, if I recall, what actually happened then was…."

* * *

><p>I brought my melon hammer up in a sweeping arc and slung dear Yang through the ceiling. I didn't even have time to revel in it cuz Blake pulled a long chain of sausages and started whipping it all around at me. So I had to move back and throw cans of soda at her, letting their popping serve as small explosives so that Pyrrha could pull this super cool thing with her Semblance and made ALL the cans come of the ground and into Blake, taking care of her.<p>

Then….then…..your sister stood up and looked super serious and sprinted straight towards up, picking up everything around her in this vicious whirlwind and she started spinning like a crimson corkscrew and threw all four of us against the wall to be pelted by so much food…it was great.  
>Glynda came in super pissed and used her wand to clean everything up and was definitely going to give us a scolding about it all…<p>

* * *

><p>Yang smiles, "And then I came down"<p>

Nora nods, "And then you came down and we all had a good laugh about it."

The three of them laugh for a brief moment at the shared memory until Yang retakes the audience's attention. "Those were the truly happy times of our lives. Things didn't start to really go downhill until our second semester of year one, when they started to make more moves, recruiting further for the White Fang, stealing Atlesian war machines, detonating a hole for the Grimm to get in in the middle of town, even infiltrating the school posing as students." Yang speaks clearly as Nora and Ren lean back in their chairs, settling in for the telling of their long tale. "And then year two started where things started going horribly wrong."

***A/N: First chapter, just shy of 2k words, a bit rocky I'm sure but now that I've gotten it rolling, I can run with all the ideas written down in my notes. I hope many of you choose to stay with me through this journey. May the night see you safe and the dawn greet you kindly readers.***


	2. Lessons were learned

***A/N: Chapter two arrives and just in time for christmas, having lots of times to think of ideas at work certainly helps. I thank each and every one of you that so graciously followed and favorite me and this story already. It really means a lot, especially since I'm not writing the sort of genres that always get the attention. So my dear readers, anyone wanna take bets on who lives, who dies, and who gets maimed?**

**TheKishinSoul: Almost? Well, almost means I'm not doing my job right. I hope to pluck your heartstrings just right in the coming chapters.*  
><strong>

"And then year two started and that was where things started going horribly wrong. We had Torchwick in custody and the Grimm had been stopped from tearing apart the city and we knew that couldn't be all there was but we were out of leads, the trail ran cold for a while. So, like any teenagers, we relaxed a little and focused on our schoolwork til summertime rolled around. It was a surprisingly quite summer, filled with its own misadventures once we convinced Blake to loosen up." She glances over at Nora and Ren, sitting quietly in their seats, hands gently clasped together. "Even convinced JNPR to come along on a few of those trips." The small smile on her face drops as her gaze trails back over the audience.

"Year two started as you'd expect, classes, training, sparring, all that you'd expect of second years. Then…then we got sent out on a team mission without a teacher. It was supposed to be a routine 5 day hunt and cull, the sort of mission that you couldn't fuck up and was near the town so we could always run if things got bad, and for about 3 days, it was a cakewalk. We took down hordes of Beowolves, dozens of Boarbatusks and Ursas and even a few King Taijitus. Tiring, but definitely fun, until the 4th day when we came across this…thing….."

* * *

><p>"And so I said, rectum? Damn near killed 'em!" I spread my arms wide and look over the team, waiting for the laughter that was sure to come.<p>

The two more dour members just give me this look while Ruby was the only one to respond verbally, "I don't get it."

I just chuckle and pat my baby sister on the head, "I'm sure you'll get it when you're olde-owwhhhh…."

We had stumbled into a secluded little clearing, in the very center is a swirling black pool, the liquid viscous and streaked with red and shards of white. It looks like…like liquid Grimm.

Ruby tries to move closer to investigate, but lucky her that Weiss came to her senses first and stopped her. "Ruby, for once, wait and investigate from a distance. This…whatever it is, can't be good."

"It looks like someone liquefied a Grimm."

Blake nods and glances around, "And if something is capable of doing that, I don't think it's something we want to be around for if it comes back. I think we should call this mission and report back, let the teachers or a full team take care of it." Weiss and I are quick to nod in agreement but Ruby scrunches her face up a little in thought.

"We should at least get a sample right? With some of this stuff, they can figure out what it is easier right?"

The rest of us look between ourselves and look really dubious until we turn back and Ruby is using her puppy dog eyes. "P-please…I wanna be helpful and seem like a good leader and bringing some new Grimm stuff would definitely do that."

I relent with a sigh, "Fine, but what are you going to carry it in?"

The pool burbles a little as she squeals and pulls out a dull gray thermos. "I'll use this! I already drank all the milk I had in it and I'm sure with this sample, getting another one'll be no problem!" She is bouncing in place as she looks at the pool.

"Alright, just please be careful sis."

"I will Yang, you worry too much." She gives me her normal chipper smile and she turns, straightening her back and getting what she seemed to think was a serious face before approaching the pool.

* * *

><p>"I should never have agreed. We should've just walked away." Yang says as she shakes her head, staring at her hands clasped in her lap.<p>

* * *

><p>Ruby is actually humming happily as she steps closer to the pool. It bubbles harder as she got closer. When she uncaps the thermos, kneeling down to scoop up some of the substance, it goes placid and settled into a flat surface, even its swirling colors halted. The container dips into the still pool with a bit of resistance, like pudding, filling up the thermos rather slowly. When she finally fills it, she stands back up, capping it triumphantly. "I did it! And nothing went wrong this time."<p>

Like a tiny voice went off in my head, my little sister uttering those words drew my attention, allowing me to notice the thin black tendril rising from the goo.

"RUBY!" I ran and shoved her away as the tendril lashed out and wrapped around my arm, now in the place where sister had once been. Ember Celica sizzled as this thing ate through the metal and Dust, rapidly hitting flesh and shooting pain through me as if someone had doused my arm in lit napalm.

The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air as I screamed in agony, dropping to my knees. It probably would have kept eating throw my arm if Blake hadn't snapped out Gambol Shrouds blade into the tendril, severing it and letting what was on my arm dissipate rather quickly.

* * *

><p>She pauses a moment, "I don't remember much for a while after that as apparently I passed out from the pain. They told me that they had Ruby take me back to Vale since she was the fastest. The doctors worked as best they could to peel the fused metal and acid charred flesh from the wound without doing further damage. Weiss told me I was screaming like a banshee through the whole thing. I woke up 2 days later in that hospital with my gear, the remnants of the broken gauntlet, and a sleeping Ruby at my bedside. She hadn't left the whole time, even threatening a nurse with Crescent Rose when they tried to make her."<p>

The aged blonde sighs, "But as I recount this all to you, I feel the same thoughts I've had for decades, wishing we'd been more careful, or tried harder, or just…done something that might've changed the outcomes. I have so many scars from incidents like that damn pool, physical, mental, and emotional." She raises her left arm, staring at the tarnished and dim yellow metal of Ember Celica. "Though I suppose that what could've happened was worse." Her right hand grips the aged weapon, removing it and revealing a massive burn mark, the scar tissue trailing all the way from her wrist to her forearm in a coiling spiral. "I could've lost my arm fully from Ember's Dust rounds detonating or if I'd been even a moment slower, it would've wrapped around…around Ruby's neck." Her voice cracking slightly as the tears well in her good eye once more.

Nora looks at the verge of tears as well, Ren still his normal stoic self but for a small frown at the edge of his lips. Nora speaks softly, but still loud enough to be heard, "I wish that was all we'd lost..." Her eyes trail to her useless leg, looking no different from her still usable one from outside her long skirt. Ren's hand moves to gently touch his throat as he closes his eyes and nods slowly.

"Me too Nora." She looks at the crowd, addressing them directly this time. "You see children, what we did and what you train for each day is to fight and to kill Grimm, and I know that many of you feel damn near invincible with your Auras and weapons. I know because I was just like that at your ages and even past." She holds up her arm higher, "but scars like these and the many more I hold served to remind me that everything we train for and do has very real risks." She lowers her hand. "I am not trying to convince any of you to quit, but I am trying to show that if you fight as if you are invincible, the Grimm will be happy to prove you wrong."

She goes silent as a deathly quiet fills the room. A silver haired boy in the middle of the crowd stands up, breaking the silence as he stares into Yang's one good eye, "Then what can we do Ms. Yang?"

Yang doesn't break eye contact, "What is your name boy?"

"Bismuth Metallum of Team DMND ma'am."

"Can the ma'am stuff, I may be an old woman but I don't want to be reminded of it." She stands from her seat, her worn joints popping with the effort. "Get up here Bismuth."

He makes the quick jog up to the stage as Ren pulls Yang's chair away as well as his and Nora's, she still seated in said chair.

Yang steps up to the young man, still standing chin to chin with him despite the shrinkage of old age, she removes the other gauntlet of Ember Celica and tosses it to a waiting Ren. The boy stands ramrod stiff and stares her in the eye. "There are a few things you can do that will help keep you and your team alive should things turn dire or just in general." She grabs him by the wrist, spinning in place and hurling him over her shoulder, landing on his back on the ground, forcing the wind from lungs. She leans over him on the ground, "The first is to not rely entirely on your Aura to soak all incoming attacks, train your reaction time down and stay alert no matter the circumstances. The second is to learn to fight without your weapon. You will usually have it, but what if you run out of rounds on a long mission or there is a need for an emergency evac or if you are awoken in the middle of the night by a sudden attack, you may have to fight off at least one Grimm with nothing but your bare hands."

He sucks in air, coughing a little. "D-does that happen often ma-Yang?"

"I have killed 103 Grimm with my bare hands in my 62 years of life and my weapon is fist based. I am not the norm for sure but learning to do it will do nothing but better prepare you." She offers her non scarred hand up to the boy, which he takes gratefully. "The third is to become close to everyone in your team and to other teams you work with often. Your tone and manner makes me thing that you just work with your team, you don't really socialize with them, is that right?"

"Y-yes ma'am. I suppose you could say that."

"Stop that. You want to be tight with your team, to be friends and comrades, feel secure that they've got your back no matter what. Yes, it will make the pain of losing them so much worse should it happen, but a team of friends can often do a helluva lot more than a team of coworkers."

He nods, "Understood Yang."

She sighs and puts on a small smile. "The final thing I can offer to you on a general basis is this...be a teenager while you still are one. Don't rush to be a big, bad Hunter or Huntress, enjoy your youth while you've got it. Make friends, find lust, find love, make mistakes and treasure the people around you. You never know when they might just…disappear."

She pats the boy on the shoulder, "Make sense kid?"

"Unders- Yeah….I think I got it."

"Good. Now get back to your seat, I believe Nora had the next part to tell."

The silver haired boy trots back to his vacant seat and Yang sits in her comfy chair as Nora scooches her towards the microphone, Ren always on her heels.

Her voice holds a fond chipperness to it, "This is what Team JNPR was doing during that part of year two, cuz we weren't slacking either, right Ren?" He nods, a small smile at the edge of his lips.

***A/N: I hope was worth the wait my readers. For those of you concerned with or holding a disdain for OCs and OC teams, have no fear, Bismuth or Team Diamond will not be a recurring thing, and may only be mentioned in passing at a later point at most. Anyway, next week, an update of Big Bowl of NeopoloJaune before ch. 3 here. May the night see you safe and the dawn greet you kindly dear readers.***


	3. Loves were forged

Chapter 3: Loves were forged.

***A/N: Greetings my lovely readers. I bring you a new chapter, this time, from Nora's view. A huge thanks goes to my new beta Maxaro for generously donating his/her time and effort to this project. **

**A warm thanks to each of you as well for waiting for me as you have… 2 jobs, hospitalized wife, and the new year slowed me down, but she's doing much better than before and I should be able to get back to my old schedule.**

**TheKishinSoul: It is a goal, to bring a genuine tear to a reader's eye. I want to craft the world, its people, and their journey in such a way to tug just right at the heart and minds of my readers. I want you all to feel their pain as if they were close friends, but I get ahead of myself, we have only just begun on this pain wracked journey though, this story shall last for quite some time if I can.**

**Onward and downward my readers…* **

"This is what Team JNPR was doing during that part of year two, cuz we weren't slacking either, right Ren?" He nods, a tiny smile just barely touching the corners of his mouth.

"So, it was the beginning of year two and we'd had an awesome summer with everyone. I looked really good in my swimsuit and had quite a few boys staring at me when we were at the beach."

A cough interrupts her a little, Yang smiling widely, "You? Pretty sure most of 'em woulda been staring at me. That was back when I looked my finest." She chuckles a little as she runs a hand over her form.

Nora huffs, "You seem to have forgotten that I kept my puppies wrapped down a bit in the school." She points at her chest, "In a swimsuit, I was bigger than you ole Yangy Mustard."

Yang shakes her head, "We're bringing out those old nicknames now? Whatever, Miss Noranch…."

They both share a giggle as Ren shakes his head, his small smirk growing. After a moment, he taps the bomber on the shoulder and points at the crowd. "Right, right, anyways!" She begins to gesture as she speaks, "Great summer, then year two started. After the weird stuff we'd been through already, we'd really come close as a team and grown individually." She ticks off points on her left hand, her ring finger missing at the second knuckle but a glint of silvery metal still sits on the nub.

"Jaune had gotten much stronger physically, reaching a point where he felt ready to work on his Aura. If I recall, he started meditating and practicing with his Aura, trying for control of his Semblance with Pyrrha." Ren nods to her, making her face light up even brighter and she pumps her fist a little.

"And Pyrrha had definitely made some headway with our romantically dense leader, they still weren't 'together' together yet but it definitely seemed like he was starting to pick up on her feelings."

Her gesturing grows in extravagance as she doesn't even pause for breath, "And Ren and I had all kinds of fun, he made pancakes all the time and we played at the beach a lot and went shopping together, and I was finally able to tell him why I always booped h-'

The aged redhead tries to force herself up as she talks only for her dead leg to give out underneath her, dropping back into the chair. Her widening smile drops into a hurt scowl. Ren is by her side in an instant, making sure she's ok. "I-I'm fine honey, just….forgot about my leg again." His face softens as he arches a brow, concern written across his face. "R-really, I'm alright." She leans back in the chair as Ren nods and kisses her gently on her lips.

With a sigh, the bomber continues on, significantly more subdued than before. "Anyway, I remember the day of our first solo mission as well, it was a patrol mission at one of the closer settlements…."

* * *

><p>I ran up to the roof of the dorm to grab Jaune and Pyrrha so we could get some lunch. When I opened the door, Jaune was on the ground, legs crossed and eyes closed, his hands on his knees. Pyrrha was circling around him, speaking softly. I was curious so I decided to keep quiet and watch, maybe today would be the day Jaune got his Semblance down.<p>

"Breathe Jaune, relax your body and focus your mind. Imagine your soul as an orb resting right below your sternum, bring your hands together over it, with each breathe in, raise the orb, lower it on the exhale." The blonde knight followed her instructions, the sun directly overhead doing little to wash out the white glow that begins to surround him, his eyes remain closed and his face is serene. "Good, continue with this exercise for 20 cycles, remember, block out all distractions, focus on the orb, feel its power." Pyrrha turned to me as I peeked through the cracked door.

"What do you need Nora?" She whispered. "We're making wonderful progress today."

I bounced on the balls of my feet, "Do you think he'll get through to his Semblance today?!" I whisper loudly.

The red-head shakes her head, "No, I don't think so. He's got a better grasp on his Aura though." She looks back over her shoulder at the blonde knight, a smile spreading on her face. "But I know he will eventually."

The glow around Jaune fades away as he finishes his cycles, his bright blue eyes opening, a serene look across his face. "I feel…stronger, more whole I think…."

Pyrrha's smile widens, "That's wonderful Jaune." She sets her hand on his shoulder as he stands up. "You're making very fast progress. In time, you'll master your Aura and unlock your Semblance."

He sighs, his shoulders slumping a little. "Yeah, but I just really want to be able to use it now, ya know? I want to be able to protect the people I care about, like you," His cheeks brighten a bit, "o-or Nora or Ren."

Pyrrha's face reddens slightly too, "O-of course. I understand, but it takes time. You're learning it much faster than most people though." She smiles fondly at him.

He smiles as his blush grows as he pulls her into a hug, "Thank you so much Pyrrha."

Her blush spreads down her cheeks and neck as she shakily wraps her arms around him. "Y-you're quite welcome."

With a reluctance that I found sooooo cute, they pulled away from each other, their faces all flustered. I couldn't help myself and had to 'daaaw' at them.

Jaune whirled on me, his face bright red, "N-nora!? W-what are you doing here!?"

I giggle and push the door fully open, "I was coming up to see if you were ready for lunch! It's paaaaaaancake day!"

Pyrrha chuckles and Jaune arches a brow, "You always say it's pancake day."

"Because it always is! Come on you two! I need my syrupy goodness!"

I grabbed their wrists and dragged them downstairs and out to the cafeteria.

After grabbing our various lunches and my stack of delicious fluffiness, piled at least a dozen high and drizzled in a warm razzleberry/redsap syrup with a nice big scoop of b-

* * *

><p>Yang interrupts before the aged bomber can get off into a remembrance rant, "Nora, I know you love your pancakes but they probably don't want to hear it all." With a wave across the gathered students.<p>

Ren raises his hands, twisting and twirling them as he signs off something to Nora. The bomber smiles a little, "I understand. That's great, I'll ask!"

She turns to the assembled group, "My husband wants to tell the next part but he'd prefer someone other than myself or Yang to tell it 'cuz he doesn't want me to ramble, Yang's voice might be tired or something silly like that. Are any of you capable of translating sign language?"

A few hands go up, but one in particular shoots up, waving all about, just the way to get Nora's attention. She points at that hand, "Get on up here."

Down the empty aisle, a bright faced, blue haired boy trots, vaulting up onto the stage. He holds a high salute as he stands before them, "Russom Unirob at your service Mrs. Valkyrie!"

"Nice to meet you Russom." She says with a matching smile as Ren bows lightly, signing something to him. Yang however has the biggest grin of them all.

"You're a Synthetic aren't you, Russom?"

The boy jolts a little, "Y-yes I am Ms. Xiao-Long. How did you know?"

She chuckles a little, ending in a weak cough, "Ya work with the original Synthetic Huntress in a war and you get to recognize the little ticks about your type."

His mouth drops, "You worked with Penny Prime?! What was she like? Was she funny? Was she-"

Yang holds up a hand to stop him,"We did, but that is a… later part of the story. As much as the three of us ramble and get off track, we do want to tell our tale." Ren shoots her a look, but the smile never leaves her face. "Please, be our translator if you will Mr. Unirob, and don't call me Ms."

He nods excitedly, "Of course Yang." The blue haired boy turns back to Ren. As he signs, the boy speaks. "Hello everyone, I am Lie Ren, formerly of Team JNPR. My wife has more of a tendency to ramble than most, so I, through this young Hunter, shall tell you the story of our first mission as best I can recall, with Nora's help as needed." Ren smiles at his wife and she giggles.

* * *

><p>After the lunch, Jaune got a message on his phone, he told us that we were being summoned by Ozpin to get our milk run assignment. He suggested that he could go alone so we could keep eating and we trusted Jaune to pick us out a decent one, so we let him head on without us.<p>

It was not even 30 seconds after he left the room that Nora pounced on poor Pyrrha. "Soooooo, are you two dating yet!?"

She sputtered on her food as she stared at Nora like a deer in headlights. "W-what?"

"Did you two finally confess your love for each other?

"N-no…" Her blush was fairly bright at that point. "I honestly don't think Jaune feels that way about me. Even if he does, he probably just feels like he does around any girl he hits on… or something."

I shook my head, "Pyrrha, you and I both know that's bullshit." I took a deep breath before continuing. "It's clear to me and just about anyone else that sees the two of you together that you're crazy about him and that he's certainly got an affection towards you. I'm fairly certain that if you asked him out the moment he stepped back in here, he'd sputter but eventually say yes, you both are just so afraid of that slim chance of rejection that neither of you are willing to break out of this holding pattern you two have had!" I take another deep breath and let my face settle back into a neutral mask. "But I suppose that's just my opinion right?"

Both Nora and Pyrrha sit in stunned silence, their eyes wide at my sudden, passionate outburst. Nora was the first to recover, her voice a little shaky but with a definite energy behind it. "W-wow Ren, that was really something… didn't know you felt that way…" Her smile returns, spreading wide across her face. She stands up quicly, launching her chair into a nearby student. "Ren. You and I need to have a talk!"

Before I could respond, she grabbed my wrists and actually tossed me over her shoulder, carting me off to-"

* * *

><p>Nora breaks in, cutting off the blue haired speaker, with her own energetic voice. "I took him back to the room, told him how much I've always loved him and then we had sex right then and there! It was a magical first time, the kind they write stories about, he was so gentle and caring even while I mounted and rode him like a brrfff" Ren's hand covers up her mouth.<p>

Yang is laughing hard in her chair, occasionally having to stop and cough, only to return to her laughing fit. The entire crowd is silent and a few of them look horrified, embarrassed, or both.

Ren looks down at his wife and gestures with his head for a moment before she nods and he pulls his hand back from her mouth and signs to the Synthetic Hunter, "Sorry everyone, like I said, my wife is rather energetic and runs without a filter on her thoughts." He looks at her with a slight frown on his face.

The boisterous Huntress shrinks in a little, a coy smile still on her face. "Sorry. It's just one of my favorite happy memories, ya know?"

Ren sighs, "Now then shall we continue onward?"

* * *

><p>After what had happened after we left the cafeteria, Jaune and Pyrrha came to our shared room relatively shortly after. I and Nora were both in my bed, a common enough occurrence, as I read and she nuzzled against my side, napping.<p>

Jaune's nose wrinkled as he stood in the doorway, "What's that smell?"

I looked up from my book. "Nothing to worry about Jaune, just open the window." I couldn't help but let a coy smile hint at my lips as I shifted my glance to Pyrrha, whose face couldn't have been brighter red without paint.

Jaune shrugged as he opened our window, letting a cool autumn breeze flow into our room. "So what's our assignment?"

He took a seat on his own bed, strapping on his armor and checking a gear bag. "Shouldn't be to bad, we're going to patrol a nearby village, been a few calls of weird stuff happening. Ozpin said we should be fine and back within 7 days."

I nod and sit up, cracking my neck as the chill air brushes against my bare chest and a hand pulls a cover farther over Nora's still bare body. "When do we leave?"

"In about 3 hours, I still have to meet with Ms. Goodwitch though and make sure our schedule is cleared for the mission." He sighs, "Man, being leader is cool and all, but those meetings are sooo boring."

His red headed companion sets a hand on his shoulder. "I know Jaune, but it means that we're all taken care of. If you want, I can take care of packing so you can get through the meeting sooner."

He nods, "Thanks Pyrrha, you're the best." A smile on his face as he clamps his sword and shield on, leaving the room for what was no doubt a rather boring discussion.

After getting Pyrrha calmed down and making sure that Nora had put her clothes back on, we had a quick wash before packing our gear. About an hour after our fearless leader had left, he returned, looking much more haggard for it. He faceplanted on his bed, muffling into his pillow, "It was like a hundred Port-lectures at once!"

Pyrrha sits on the edge, rubbing his back beneath the plates of his armor, "Hey… it's ok now Jaune, you're not there anymore."

He struggles up to a sitting position, leaning against her a little. "That was actually more harrowing than anything we've done before….combined."

"Don't you think you might be exaggerating just a little?"

"Maybe a little, but still!"

We all have a small laugh before he looks around the room at our assembled bags, ready to leave at a moment's notice. "Though, it's definitely worth it. I wouldn't trade you guys for the world." A bright smile crosses his face as he hugs the nearest person to him, dear Pyrrha, her face now matching her vibrant hair.

He pulls away, a serene smile across his face. "We head out in an hour and a half guys. Should be a simple mission, nothing we can't handle, right?"

* * *

><p>Ren stops signing for a moment, to shake his head sadly before looking at the boy again, "He was right, it was a mission we could handle, just wish we hadn't had to. That was truly the last time we saw the innocent Jaune we had all come to know. I still miss him…"<p>

Nora puts a hand on his shoulder , "We all do Ren. " Nora looks out to the crowd, "He was a good guy, a good leader, and because of him, we got to live with these injuries rather than die that day."

Yang, staring at the floor, a tear streak down her one good side, whispers, "Do not bring that up until it is time Nora… please…"

"Ok. Would you care to continue or shall I Ren?"

He nods to her and motions the blue haired boy back to his seat.

***A/N: A little bit of a lighter situation for this go round. This chapter is where I feel the story truly becomes mine, rather than rehashing the show or situations thereof. Their growth, their changes, their losses, their gains, each of their own crafting and I hope to portray them as well as I can. I thank each and every one of you that has stayed so far and chooses to stay with me for even more. May the night see you safe and the dawn greet you kindly readers.**

**P.S.: If anyone got the Synthetic's name reference, kudos to you.***

_**Editors notes: Ominous foreshadowing is ominous.**_


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